Meet Barry.
Barry runs a home remodeling business in Austin, Texas. Business is slowing down a bit, so he’s looking for ways to get more visibility online. And he’s heard YouTube can help, even for a local business like his.
He’s not sure if it’s worth his time though and has questions, like:
- “Will I need expensive equipment?”
- “Will I have to post weekly, like influencers do?”
- “Will I have time to make videos for YouTube?”
The answers to the first two, he learns, are “No.” And as for time, Barry realizes he can start small to test it out and go at a pace that works for him.
Taking the first step
So Barry decides to start by filming 3 short videos on his smartphone:
- In the first, he films himself answering a question he’s often asked by customers.
- In the second, he offers a few tips on common mistakes he’s seen customers make and how to avoid them.
- In the last, he shows a newly updated kitchen in a nice home, the results of a kitchen remodeling project by his company.
When it’s time to post them, he creates titles that include the city name and type of service (“Kitchen Remodel in Austin: What to Expect”).
Early results
With these early videos, Barry gets a few views and feels his business looks more professional compared to competitors who have no presence at all on YouTube.
A few months later, one of his videos titled “How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost in Austin?” starts showing up in local Google search results. Even better, a prospect calls and mentions that she found him because of it.
This encourages him, so he decides to keep filming at a slow pace: 3 videos every quarter. He figures he can spend one afternoon filming every few months and it won’t overwhelm his schedule.
RELATED: Video Marketing 101 for Small Biz & Contractors
What he learns
After creating more videos, he realizes a few things about YouTube:
- YouTube is more like a library than a social feed. While social media posts disappear within a few days, YouTube videos keep working long after they’re posted. They help him appear in Google and, more importantly, they help prospects and customers. They can also be embedded in his website.
- Quality beats quantity. A few educational videos with good titles can give him good results without the pressure to post every week.
- Local headings matter. Adding “Austin” (or a city) in titles and descriptions help his videos show up in searches made by his local target audience.
Get started with YouTube
Do you want to get started like Barry? You don’t need to post daily or weekly to make YouTube work for your small business.
Here’s how to create an account and get started:
- Create your channel. Sign in to your Google account, go to YouTube, and click “Create a Channel” under your username.
- Enter your business name and upload your logo so the channel matches the look of your website.
- Upload your first video. A quick video answering a common customer question is a great first step.
- Optimize your title. To improve your chances in local searches, include your city + service type in the title, using a question or statement format, like “How to Avoid Common Home Remodeling Mistakes in [City].”
- Fill out the YouTube “About” section. Add your website, phone number and a short description of your services to make the most of your profile.
The takeaway for small businesses
Like Barry, you don’t need perfect lighting, extra gear, or a packed content calendar to make it work.
You just need:
- A few videos answering real customer questions.
- Localized titles and descriptions.
- A simple, repeatable plan, even if it’s only one video every month or two.
That’s it.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about competing with TikTok stars, it’s about showing up where your customers are searching and building a bit of trust before they pick up the phone.
And as Barry would tell you, even a few videos can go a long way.
Need help getting started on YouTube? Get in touch.
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